Newberry Academy’s Upper School program is designed to meet the individual needs and interests of our students by promoting demanding academic standards that result in a comprehensive high school diploma.

Requirements: Students must earn a minimum of 24 high school (grades 9-12) credits to be considered for graduation. Of these 24 credits, 4 English, 4 Math, 3 Science, 3 Social Studies, 2 Foreign Language, 1 Fine Arts, 1 Computer Science, 1 Physical Education, and 7 electives are required.

Dual Enrollment & Advanced Studies/Honors Courses: Students at Newberry Academy are encouraged to explore many educational opportunities. Dual Enrollment (DE), Concurrent, and online courses offer such opportunities and are welcomed by the school. Students may be awarded graduation credit with advance permission of the Head of School. Successful completion of these courses not only demonstrates a higher skill for college admission, they oftentimes earn college credits which are accepted at most colleges and universities. This can result in a substantial savings in time and money when students enter college. Advanced Studies/Honors courses follow a prescribed curriculum and culminate in a standardized exam prepared and scored by the College Board. Many colleges and universities award credits and/or advanced standing for passing scores on the AP. While these courses in themselves do not earn college credit, they do demonstrate a higher skill level for college admission consideration.

Community Service: Newberry Academy firmly believes that community service promotes responsible citizenship. In addition to academic credits, students are expected to participate in school or community service, either individually or through membership in school-sponsored clubs or organizations. Such service provides our students an opportunity to become involved in the needs of our community and acquaint them with the organizations that support those needs. Additionally, the inclusion of community service activities in a student’s college application portfolio is an important factor in admission decisions at many college and universities. Students in Grades 9-12 must perform a minimum of 10 hours of community service each school year for promotion to the next grade and for graduation. Students whose documented service work exceeds 50 hours in a year receive special recognition at the Academy’s Academic Awards Program in the spring.

College Acceptance: Newberry Academy is widely recognized for the number of students accepted to the colleges and universities of their choice. Recent graduates have been accepted to the University of South Carolina, Clemson University, The Citadel, Newberry College, Coastal Carolina University, The College of Charleston, Lander University, Coker College, Francis Marion University, Charleston Southern and others.